Sleeping-car



J. B. SUTHERLAND.

Car Seat and Couch.

No. 29,635. Patnted Aug. 14, 1860.

I I j I! an in m In m 1 Witnesses= enton AM. FHOTO'LITND.CD-N.Y. (OSBDRNE'S PROCESS.)

- l x Q r l UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

J. B. SUTHERLAND, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SLEEPING-CAR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,685, dated August 14, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. B. SUTHERLAND, of Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Folding Platform-Berths for the Sleeping-Cars of Railroads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side sectional View of a portion of a sleeping car with my invention applied to it and shown in a folded state. Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line a 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, a side sectional view of the same with my invention shown in an unfolded state ready for use. Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section of the same taken in the line 3 3/ Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an arrangement of means for folding the platform berths in sleeping cars, and is designed to supersede the cast met-a1 segmental guides in the arrangement of seats and berths for which Letters Patent were granted to S. C. Case June 22nd, 1858. These guides as well as all others similarly arranged and which have been practically tested, have been found to be more or less out of truth; or, in other words, deviate from proper curves, owing to the shrinkage in cooling after being cast; considerable difficulty is occasioned also in consequence of the guides intersecting each other and causing an erratic movement of the platforms during their adjustment. The within described invention it is believed obviates these difiiculties, and to this end pins or studs, hooks and grooved plates, on the ends of the platform, are used in connection with bearings or brackets attached to the transverse partitions of the car, the abovenamed parts being so arranged as to admit of the very ready folding and unfolding of the platforms of the upper berths.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, A, represent two seats of a railroad car, said seats being so arranged as to be capable of being adjusted in a horizontal position to form a lower berth as shown in Fig. 3. These seats maybe arranged as shown in the Letters Patent of S. 0. Case, previously alluded to, or other means may be devised for the purpose.

B, C, represent the platforms of the upper berths. These platforms are upholstered as usual, and they are equal in length to the lower berth, or to the two seats A, when adjusted in a horizontal position, but the platforms are only equal in width to about half the width of the seats consequently two persons occupy the lower berth and the upper berths are occupied by one person each.

The lower platform 13, has a metal plate attached to each of its corners, each plate having a pin or stud a, projecting horizontally from it. These pins or studs when the platform B, is in a position for use, rest or are fitted in bearings or brackets D, D, which are secured to transverse partitions E, E, between which the seats and platforms are fitted. The form of the bearings or brackets D, D, is shown clearly in Fig. 2, the brackets D, at the back part of the partitions being in a horizontal position so that the back pins of the platform may slide horizontally into them and the brackets D, being in a vertical position so that the front pins a, may be adjusted ve tically in them. The bearings or brackets D, D, may be of cast metal, and screwed, or otherwise secured, to the partitions E, E. The upper platform C, also has a pin or stud 6, projecting from each corner horizontally. The front pins 6, project from plates which have pendent blocks 0, attached, and the back pins 6, project from plates which project down below the platform and have horizontal grooves (Z, made in their inner sides, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. hen the platform C, is adjusted in a horizontal position its front pins 6, rest in hearings or brackets F, at the front part of the partitions E, the brackets F, corresponding in form to the brackets D, below them, and the pins 7), at the back end of the plat orm 0, rest in brackets F, at the back part of the partitions E, the brackets F corresponding in form to the brackets D. I

To the partitions E, and near the top of the car there are secured by brackets Gr, G, the brackets G, are similar in form to D, F, but the brackets Gr, have a different position from D, F, the former having an inverted position so that their recesses will be at their upper parts and face outward as shown clearly inFig. 4.

WVhen both platforms are in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, and require to be folded out of the way the front part of the lower platform B, is raised, its back pins a, serving as pivots and the front pins a, are shoved into the grooves d, in the plates at the back part of the platform C, see Fig. 4, in which the line 1, indicates the path of the first movement of the platform B. The plat form B is now in a vertical position as indicated by the red dotted lines and its lower part is moved upward and toward the front part of the partitions 'E, the front pins a, serving as pivots and the back pins are adjusted in the hooks 0, at the front part of the upper platform C, the line 2, indicates the second movement of the platform B. The two platforms B, C are now adjusted together and they are moved at their front parts as indicated by the line 3, the pins 6, at the front of C, being fitted in the brackets G, and the lower parts of the platforms are then moved outward and upward in the direction indicated by line 4, and the back pins 6, of platform C are fitted in the the car, beneath the roof, and the difliculties hitherto alluded to fully obviated.

I do not claim as new any parts pertaining to the seats A, A, nor do I claim broadly the employment or use of supplemental platforms, but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The employment or use of the bearings or brackets D, D, F, F, G, G, secured to the transverse partitions E, of the car, in connection with the pins or studs a, attached to platform B, and the pins 6, hooks c, and grooves d, in the plates attached to the platform C, all being arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

J. B. SUTHERLAND. Witnesses R. N. RICE, C. H. HURD. 

